Sadism or not ? McGonagall and her punishments

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 186639


> 
> a_svirn:
> Actually, detentions with Snape and Filch usually had certain pragmatic objectives – beyond the obvious I mean. Horned toads presumably needed to be sliced, bedpans to be cleaned, etc. It is deeply unpleasant, but a) not humiliating or cruel (in itself, I mean, Neville is a bit of a special case) and b) useful. As for that Forest outing, in term of usefulness it was pointless, and the only purpose it could possible serve was to scare them witless. Which edges quite a bit towards "humiliating" and "cruel" (again in itself).  

Pippin:
The students were being punished for wandering around the school at night, and their punishment had the practical purpose of demonstrating *why* it was  dangerous   for them to be loose without teachers to protect them, without telling them the actual reason, which the students weren't meant to know (although Harry and Hermione do.) 

They were not sent to catch the unicorn hunter, they were supposed to find the wounded unicorn and help it. The unicorn had been attacked several days previously and the hunter should have been long gone. Whatever it was had been stealthy enough to evade both Hagrid and the centaurs -- it wasn't like to show itself on purpose and indeed it did not. As usual Harry failed to follow instructions and didn't send up sparks when he found the dead beast. If he had, then Quirrellmort would have been warned and stayed out of sight.
 

Also, I am confused about the objection to Neville's punishment. He made a list of passwords, which was an obvious and flagrant breach of security, presumably because he didn't like having to wait for someone else  to let him in. His punishment forced him to do just that, so I find it very appropriate. 

Neville must have taken the list outside Gryffindor Tower, even though he didn't lose it there, or he would have known that it must have been stolen from inside. And for that, IMO, he deserved what he got. 

It may be cruel to humiliate students, but it's hardly unusual at Hogwarts. What Harry doesn't like is that Snape so obviously enjoys what he's doing. If Snape had looked sorrowful like Dumbledore or even angry, the way McGonagall does, Harry probably wouldn't mind nearly so much, and might have spoken up for himself more effectively on the occasions when he thought Snape was mistaken.  But he thinks that Snape is only doing it to gratify himself and isn't actually interested in improving Harry's behavior at all.  I think the Prince's Tale shows that is not the case.

Pippin